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District of Columbia Emergency Highway Relief Act

Public Law 104-21 · H.R. 2017 · 104th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Aug 4, 1995 · Transportation and Public Works

Sponsor: Rep. Eleanor Norton (D-DC)

Cosponsors (6): Rep. Tom Davis,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

District of Columbia Emergency Highway Relief Act - Requires the Federal share of the costs of certain highway projects within the District of Columbia during FY 1995 and 1996 to be up to 100 percent, as requested by the District. Includes as eligible a project for a route proposed for inclusion in, or designated as part of, the National Highway System or of regional significance for which the United States is or, before September 30, 1996, becomes obligated to pay the Federal share and with respect to which the District of Columbia certifies that sufficient funds are not available to pay the full non-Federal share of costs.

(Sec. 3) Requires the District, by December 31, 1995, to establish a dedicated highway fund (separate from its general fund) to pay the cost-sharing requirements under the Federal-aid highway program and to repay the increased Federal share of costs of eligible projects paid pursuant to this Act. Provides that such fund shall be comprised of receipts from motor fuel taxes and, if necessary, motor vehicle taxes and fees collected by the District. Requires the District to make repayments, by the end of each of FY 1996 through 1998, of the increased Federal share paid for such project or the Secretary of Transportation shall not approve any federal-aid highway project in the District.

Requires the Comptroller General to audit and report to the Congress each year on the financial condition and operations of the fund.

(Sec. 4) Requires the District to: (1) expeditiously process and execute contracts to implement the Federal-aid highway program in the District; (2) establish an independent revolving fund account for Federal-aid highway projects for the prompt payment of contractors completing Federal-aid highway projects in the District; and (3) ensure that necessary expertise and resources are available for planning, design, and construction of such projects. Authorizes the Secretary to require administrative and programmatic reforms by the District to ensure efficient management of the Federal-aid highway program in the District. Requires the Comptroller General to review and report to the Congress on the implementation of the requirements of this section.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.

  1. Aug 4, 1995Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-21.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Aug 1, 1995PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Jul 31, 1995FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. FloorFloor · Mr. Shuster moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  10. Jul 27, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  12. Jul 25, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  13. Jul 24, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  14. Jul 17, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to District of Columbia Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  15. Jul 12, 1995CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
  17. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.